Stephen Colbert's use of the Internet to connect with fans earned the Comedy Central host special recognition as recipients of the annual Webby awards for websites and online achievements were announced Tuesday.

$171,525 is a lot of money for a joke to raise. That's how much Stephen Colbert's "WristStrong" bracelets have raised since the mock talk show host began selling them as part of his "wrist awareness" campaign, started shortly after he broke his left wrist last June.

$171,525 is a lot of money for a joke to raise. That's how much Stephen Colbert's "WristStrong" bracelets have raised since the mock talk show host began selling them as part of his "wrist awareness" campaign, started shortly after he broke his left wrist last June.

Oprah Winfrey's continuing reign as patron saint of book sales is strongly evident on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list this week. Six of the top 15 titles have been promoted by the talk-show queen. Eat, Pray, Love (No. 2), Deceptively Delicious (No. 4), Love in the Time of Cholera (No. 5), The Wisdom of Menopause (No. 7), Come on People (No. 14) and The Secret (No. 15) have all benefited from the Oprah bump.

Stephen Colbert slayed the competition in a Shred Off with the Decemberists or at least he claimed to have. Wednesday night's Colbert Report on Comedy Central was dedicated entirely to a guitar-solo contest between the mock-news pundit and the indie-rock band, who were represented by lead guitarist Chris Funk.